The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-02
TIE HARPER TRIAL.
Broker Wiltshire Furnishes Further Infor-
nation Concerning the Big Wheat Deal.

CiNoINNATI. Dec. 1.-The Harper trial was re-
sumed thi. morning, with j. W. Wiltshire the
stand. His testimony in chief had been of the
most direct nature, showing that he had pur-
chased for Harper in the Chicago market about
2O, 900, 900 bushels of wheat, of which they were
holding a. 600, 900 bushels when the crash came
last June. The loss represented by the break
ing Of their corner was from So, 900. 900 to $4,-
600, 600. He said he never could tell exactly
what the total nominal loss was, for the reason
that his Chicago brokers had never rendered an
account showing what had been realized on
closing out their deal In every way he made it
clear that Harper his principal: that his
checks on the Fidelity Bank were not against
any balance there to his credit. but that be was
given to understand that they were to De pro-
tected by Harper.
When il came to the crossexamination. Will
shire proved to be loaded for more than
kind of game. His statements to-day will cause
some squirming in other quarters Almost the
first question asked by Major Blackburn for the
defense brought out the fact that Wiltshire had
deposited checks agereRating 100000 on the
First National Bank of this city. and s95, 600 on
the Merchants Bank with the Fidelity, where
they were treated as cash. He had not that
amount of money in these banks at the time tho
checks were drawn. but he did it because be
was instructed to do by Harper, whom he
supposed to be abundantly able to take care OF
the checks.
Said Blackburn. looking the witness squarely
in the eye-.iTell me nowhere checks on
the First National to the amount of $3.50 900,
drawn by you May %. 1887 How much money
had you in that bank at that time3"
Wiltshire (reddening little and looking at the
foor)-I cant tell
II Q1
'Dont remember
''Don't you know it was not as much as
$40 OOOl"
perhaps it was not.D
s.Yst you drew for $3.50, 0O0l'
"Looks that way" said the witness, looking
with smils at the documents in Major Black
burns hand.
Nov" said Blackburn, 'do you call that
legitimate business"
~ don't call it illegitimate."
'What-putting out bogus checks with no
monev behind them?"
II did not know what Mr.. Harper bad done to
protect them, and / looked TO him for protec-
tion." was the explanation, which was more sat
isfactory to the witness than to others who
hoard it
At this point the court took recess till after
noon. Mr.. Harper is still attended by his wife
and her sister, and gives close attention TO all
that trans pires. He has watched with eager in
terest the face of this witness. his broker, who
has. in plain words. laid bare the entire trans
action.
On cross-examination, in the afternoon. Will
shire said ne believed that the chacks already
named were about all he had deposited with the
Fidelity Bank. He had given checks to Harper
to take up others but he did know to what
amount On the evening of June IA he saw
Harper ut the bank and got the package
to take to Chicago AL Gahr, Harpers
brother-in-law, went with him to Chi
caeo and took possession OF the envelope
Harper had given him, saying it contained
$500, 600. He went to the bank. K ershaw and
Hoyt accompanying MIN. His instructions
were based a telegram from Harper to the
American National Exchange Bank. If the
bank would agree to take this package, and
see that the brokers representing the deal there
were amply protected, and furnish them such
accommodation as would carry il out, he was to
leave the package. He acted under these in
structions, and did not think it anything IN
usual
The governments counsel then took the wit
ness. aud showed by him that several orders for
wheat were signed by Harper with his own
initials IN reply to question, the witness
said checks the First National were met by
de- posits bv the Fidelity So far he knew,
all the money came from the Fidelity.
EbeneZer Schofisld. cashier CT the First Ma
tional Bank of New York. and James 4. Quin
Ian. jr., cashier OF she Chemical National
Bank. testIfied regarding the loans of
100000 and 100000 made, respectively, to
Harner. They also gave a list of cullalerals for
the loan, including notes of various companies
in which Harper was interested. The testimony
or these witnesses introduced TO show that
Harper was insolvent at the time: that the mon
ey he used was drawn from the bank while
special acrount was kept for the purpose Of Civ.
ing him fictitious credit